Layered Rosewood Fretboards?
How long?

I guess with the rosewood shortage it was obvious they had to resort to something to keep the classic models using rosewood. I've been very liberal about Gibson's situation and direction using new woods, but I've been saving up for a brand new R8 and layered rosewood boards just seem downright inferior. How long has this practice been going on for? Is it just recent, or do many past Gibson guitars feature layered fretboards and I'm not in the know?

I'm sorry if I'm uninformed about this process, but until now, I've never heard about laminating two pieces of paper-thin rosewood to make a fingerboard that's only a few centimeters thick. Maybe someone can fill me in about this.

My own feeling is that I'm certain I couldn't tell just by listening to an instrument whether the fingerboard was made from a solid blank of rosewood or two thinner slabs stuck together.
I'm not a believer in the 'Brazillian is Best' camp. Personally, I'm not going to dismiss a laminated board never having experienced the product first-hand.
If the adoption of this process allows Gibson to make Les Pauls that sound exactly like a Les Paul should sound then that's OK by me.

A lot of people didn't like the idea of a baked-maple fingerboard but those who have tried (and bought) them are 100% in favour of the choice of wood.

I found this bit, slightly further down the page, very noteworthy regarding U.S. sources of rosewood;

"Many trees not originally native to the United States have been growing here for many years, including rosewood. We recently found a vendor with a good supply and were pleasantly surprised to find it was a beautiful, viable guitar tonewood. We also verified the chain of custody and sustainability through our legality and compliance review. Plentifully available in Florida and Southern California, and the same species once found only in the Amazon, these trees have met Gibson's sustainability and legality compliance standards."

I guess with the rosewood shortage it was obvious they had to resort to something to keep the classic models using rosewood. I've been very liberal about Gibson's situation and direction using new woods, but I've been saving up for a brand new R8 and layered rosewood boards just seem downright inferior. How long has this practice been going on for? Is it just recent, or do many past Gibson guitars feature layered fretboards and I'm not in the know?

I'm sorry if I'm uninformed about this process, but until now, I've never heard about laminating two pieces of paper-thin rosewood to make a fingerboard that's only a few centimeters thick. Maybe someone can fill me in about this.

Did you read the information in the link you posted? The answers to all your questions are there...

I noticed that a couple of days ago after Gibson tweeted a link. I doubt it will make any difference. I'm just on my way to pick up my replacement R6. I don't know if it will have this new layered board but I'm willing to bet I can't tell and will never know.they do have some older stock so I'll be able to A/B them too. I might leave with one of the others but I'm pretty sure, if I do, that it won't be because of this. I'll report back.

Well, why would having a layered rosewood fingerboard be so upsetting? Hell, Gibson was layering the guitar bodies back in the 70s before this rosewood layering stuff. It was nicked named "pancake bodies" Two thinner slabs of mahogany stacked together, and some of the greatest sounding gibson les pauls were from the Norlin era with pancake bodies.

Well, why would having a layered rosewood fingerboard be so upsetting? Hell, Gibson was layering the guitar bodies back in the 70s before this rosewood layering stuff. It was nicked named "pancake bodies" Two thinner slabs of mahogany stacked together, and some of the greatest sounding gibson les pauls were from the Norlin era with pancake bodies.

Ding ding ding, this layering is not going to effect tone.

______________________________________________________________Gonna buy me a graveyard of my own
Kill everyone who ever done me wrong
Gonna buy me a gun just as long as my arm
Kill everyone who ever done me harm